Plaiting advice

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Newbee112

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How long does it take you to plait a mane and tail. I've plaited manes for a couple years and I swear I'm slower than slow. I like to do more plaits so 13 to 15 plaits is about normal but it can take me up to 45 minutes...half an hour if I rush but then they can look a bit wonky. I'm just curious as to how quickly people can do it. I only use bands with the mane. Up till now it's not mattered as I've only had 2 max to get ready on a morning so usually give myself heaps of time to do a good job. But now I may have a few more to do :-/

Also, out of practice with tails but I'll be plaiting and putting up this season for hunting. I know how to do the initial plait down the dock but any advice on how to put up behind the dock with thread, not tape.

Any other tips for perfect plaits would be great too.

Thank you
 
It takes me about a minute per plait to do a properly pulled mane with bands, the key is getting the mane the right length and thickness that suits your plaiting technique, I sometimes end up pulling a bit out while I plait if it isn't quite right.

I plait all the way down the neck then fold up to finish rather than doing a whole plait in one go, that way you can really get up to speed, for hunting I have always used thread to finish as it stays in better, that may take a few minutes longer but still never 45 mins, for hunting I would do less than 13, normally aiming for 9, 11 if the neck is long.
 
Takes me 15-20 mintues - years of plaiting 2 or 3 times a week for hunting :)

It's so much easier when the mane is a good length and not too thick. I just wet the mane, I don't divide up the mane in advance, I just start at the bottom and work my way up.

I french plait the forelock, looks much neater.
 
I can band plait the racehorses in 10mins for the mane. Whilst I don't count or section off my thumb width is a good guide to getting 11 plaits on almost any mane. I don't band the bottom, I plait down, fold in half, half again then band. They only need to be in for an hour and the jockey pulls out the first few anyway. It is much easier to pull them.back out with just one band.

Tails take me 10mins and I hate doing them. Again just banded.

For showing I band the bottom then stitch up the mane, it takes me 25-30mins as I am guaranteed to stab myself, lose a needle and need to retread at least once! My Tails are pulled for showing.
 
About 20 mins. I mainly plait with thread for hunting - bands get knocked out and look scruffy pretty quickly - sewn plaits will stay in all day. Also, you only want 7-9 plaits (depending on the length of the neck) I have 7 on my 16hh, 9 (sometimes 11) on the 18hh, depending on how well I've pulled his mane!

If you are getting several horses ready on a hunting morning, I would pull the tails - plaiting looks smarter but only if done well.

Which pack are you going to be going out with? (or your horses going out with!?)

bobbing tails up - big loops of same coloured thread up each side, double stitched at the start and finish.
 
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About 2.5 hours for my own first attempt, then half an hour for me to tantrum and cry over how bad they look and how awful I am at plaiting despite trying my very best, then maybe another 30 mins-1 hour for someone more competent to redo them, depending on how peed off my mare is by that point..
 
I am half an hour or so for a mane, I only band, and if I try to be quicker they look rubbish.

BTW, I felt a LOT better about my plaits when I see the Horse and Hound Equo advert, a full page advert, all professionally lit and photographed, with a gorgeous horse, and.....

.... The plaits look as bad as when I rush mine! I feel a lot better about when I take my time as they are a lot neater than that!
 
Thank you for the replies. That's very helpful! I am used to plaiting manes at least twice as long as what many would consider pulled (that's how owners liked them kept) so with a much shorter mane hopefully I'll be a touch quicker.

10 mins though...bloody hell!
 
From start to finish this will have taken me about 40-45 mins. Grooming, plaiting, quarter markering, bridle on and pull out.


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Newbee112 said:
EKW said:
From start to finish this will have taken me about 40-45 mins. Grooming, plaiting, quarter markering, bridle on and pull out.

arghh...wish I was that quick with those results! Looks bloody brilliant!
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Thank you. He won the race as well lol! He is my special wee pony at work, he has now won 5 of his last 9 races. Not bad for a horse they were going to scrap at the end of his first season! He is only 6 bless him lol!
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